Golden Pheasant
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(12 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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My opinion of Pilseners has improved over the course of this daily beer challenge. In my mind, Pilseners were the fizzy, mostly tasteless mass-market beers best served ice cold and drank quickly. Quite possibly because of this misconception, almost every Pilsener I’ve consumed this year has been a pleasant surprise.
Nonetheless, when a coworker gave me a bottle of this Czech Pilsener on Monday and described it as tasting like urine, I allowed my expectations to sink quite a bit.
I didn’t think I’d be drinking Golden Pheasant anytime soon, but I came home today to find my house filled with a grassy, summery smell. The farm next to my house had finally cut its hay, and that pleasant, earthy aroma wafting in through the open windows had me craving a light, malty beer.
So I’m pleased to find that Golden Pheasant is actually quite a pleasing Pilsener.
A product of the Slovak Republic, Golden Pheasant comes in an 11.2 oz green glass with a twist-off bottle cap. I actually had the bottle opener hovering over the cap before I was arrested by the “no bottle opener” symbol. There haven’t been very many twist-off beers in my roster this year!
Golden Pheasant is imported by Chicago’s Stawski Imports. The Stawski Distributing website provides some background on the beer:
Geographically, Slovakia is an obvious location for great lager beers. They have access to the best hops, grains and softest water in the world. This and a long brewing tradition is what makes Golden Pheasant® a very special product. Golden Pheasant® is true to the style for the region, a robust, full-flavored beer. It exhibits a great balance between nutty malt flavors, aromatics and delicious noble hop varieties. The finish is clean and refreshing, making Golden Pheasant® a pleasure to drink.
I found the beer to be very bubbly, and the carbonation created a fluffy, white head to crown the top of a tall glass. Its body is quite clear and — as the name implies — a soft golden yellow.
Golden Pheasant has a hoppy aroma, similar to a Heineken, but this Pilsener is distinguished by a sweet, almost honeyed malt. As I drank, I realized the smell of hay in my house had been replaced by a hay-like malt aroma — at least in the area immediately above my glass.
Taste follows the nose remarkably well. The first impression as Golden Pheasant hit my tongue was of sweet, grassy malt that washed softly across the palate. Papery, bitter hops emerged but they never quite displaced the grainy, honeyed sweetness.
I really enjoyed this beer, and I probably would never have tried Golden Pheasant if not for my coworker’s donation to the cause. My thanks to him, and to everyone who has been following along. I know many of you have been inspired to try new beer thanks to this site, so please let this review serve as a reminder that you never know when you’ll find a surprising new drink.
And with that — Na Zdraví!
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4 Comments
May 10th, 2010 at 10:47 am
[...] care – we’re on its countries’ soil in the embassies), we were handed cups of Golden Pheasant (aka Zlaty [...]
June 4th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
It’s a Slovak pilsner, NOT a Czech pilsner asshole
July 3rd, 2011 at 2:23 pm
I’ve read your article and it contains some serious errors. First of all, it is not a Pilsner. It’s a Lager. Secondly, it is not Czech, but Slovak. I agree with your overall impression of the beer. The taste of the hops is extraordinary.
But also beware, beer is a beverage best served FRESH. We don’t know how long your bottle has been in transit from Hurbanova. ALSO, it is quite bitter at the finish if drunk toooo cold. Like Heineken, you must let it warm to about 50F for the optimum flavor. Below 40, it’s quite bitter.
Lastly, we all need to press Stowski Imports to bring in the 10%, 12% and 16% versions. The 5% is suitable only for summer drinking and has much less flavor than the 10 and 12% versions. You will be absolutely AMAZED when getting the higher alcohol content because it’s what is served in Slovakia. The 16% tastes no better than the 12%, but helps you sleep all night long.
September 13th, 2011 at 10:29 am
Where did you find (read: buy) this?! I was recently travelling in Europe and had this in Slovakia, and have been trying to find it in the U.S. ever since!